Cant (pallet lumber)
Also called: hardwood cant, pallet cant, center cant
A cant is a log that has been sawn flat on two or four sides. In the pallet industry it usually means the low-grade center of a hardwood log, left after grade lumber is cut from the outside, which is resawn into pallet parts.
In depth: Pallet wood species: hardwood vs softwood, and which to specify
When a hardwood sawmill cuts a log, the clearest wood near the bark becomes furniture, flooring and other grade lumber. The core, with more knots and the pith, is left as a square or rectangular cant. Cants are sold to pallet mills, which resaw them into stringers and deckboards. This is why so much US pallet stock is hardwood.
Typical values
| Item | Typical |
|---|---|
| Common cant sizes | Often quoted in nominal inches, for example 6 × 6 or 7 × 9, in lengths such as 8 ft and 10 ft |
| Moisture | Green; hardwood cants are often well above fiber saturation |
| Output | Stringers (for example 1-3/8 × 3-1/2 in) and deckboards (for example 5/8 × 3-1/2 in) |
The cant sizes are examples of trade practice, not a standard. Mills buy what their saws and part sizes suit.
Why it matters
Pallet part sizes and prices follow the cant market. Hardwood cant prices move with demand for grade lumber and with log supply, and suppliers sometimes tie contract pallet prices to a cant or lumber index. Parts sawn from cants are usually green, carry the defects of the log center, and are graded to pallet lumber grades rather than furniture grades.
On a spec sheet
Cants themselves are not listed. What matters is the resulting species mix, grade and moisture content. If price stability matters, ask how the supplier indexes lumber cost.
Related
- GlossaryCut stock (pallet components)Cut stock is lumber already sawn to the finished thickness, width and length of pallet parts, such as 5/8 × 3-1/2 × 40 in deckboards, ready for nailing. It is also called pallet stock or shook.
- GlossaryHardwood (pallet lumber)Hardwood is lumber from broadleaf (deciduous) trees such as oak, maple, ash and yellow poplar. Most eastern US pallets are built from mixed hardwood cut stock, which is dense, strong and holds nails well.
- GlossaryGreen lumber (pallets)Green lumber is freshly sawn wood that has not been dried, with moisture content above the fiber saturation point of about 28%. Many hardwood pallets are built from green lumber because drying adds cost.
- GuidesPallet wood species: hardwood vs softwood, and which to specifyMost North American pallets are made from mixed Eastern hardwoods (oak, maple, poplar and others) or softwoods such as Southern yellow pine and SPF. Density drives strength, stiffness, nail holding and weight. Specify a species class or group plus a grade rather than a single species.
- GuidesHow much does a pallet cost? New, used, plastic and custom pricesIn the US in 2026, a new 48 × 40 in wood stringer pallet typically costs about $10–25, a used Grade A about $6–14 and a Grade B about $3–8. Heat treatment adds about $1–3. Plastic pallets run roughly $40–200 and metal $150–600 or more. These are estimates that move with lumber, resin and freight markets; get quotes.
More in Materials
- GlossaryBark (on pallet lumber)Bark is the outer layer of a tree trunk. ISPM 15 requires wood packaging to be made from debarked wood, allowing only small remnants: pieces under 3 cm wide of any length, or wider pieces with a surface area under 50 cm².
- GlossaryComposite block (pallet)A composite block is a pallet block made from wood chips, particles or fibers bonded with resin under heat and pressure. It does not split like solid wood and, as processed wood, is exempt from ISPM 15 on its own.
- GlossaryCorrugated fiberboard (pallets and slip sheets)Corrugated fiberboard is a board made of a fluted paper medium glued between flat paper liners. It is used for boxes, and in pallet work for corrugated paper pallets, slip sheets, tier sheets and pallet runners.
- GlossaryDouglas-fir (pallet lumber)Douglas-fir is a dense, strong softwood from western North America, also grown in Europe. It is species class 11 (Douglas-fir–larch) in the Uniform Standard and PDS, and class 33 in the European species list.
- GlossaryGalvanizing (steel pallets and fasteners)Galvanizing is coating steel with zinc to protect it from corrosion. Steel pallets are often hot-dip galvanized after fabrication, and galvanized nails, staples and hinges are used where wood pallets or collars see moisture.
- GlossaryHDPE (high-density polyethylene)HDPE (high-density polyethylene) is the most common resin for plastic pallets. It stays tough at low temperatures, which suits freezers and cold chains, but it is less stiff than polypropylene, which matters for rack deflection.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 245 words.